Ranch Specializes In Yak Meat

Ranch Specializes In Yak Meat LIVESTOCK Miscellaneous Dave Tvedt of Volga S D has been in the yak business for 15 years He maintains a herd of around 75 animals year-round at Pink Flamingo Yak Ranch The property’s name is a point of pride “There are so many earthy names for farms out there and I wanted to stand out ” Tvedt laughs “And no we don’t have a lot of flamingos in South Dakota Maybe there’s some in a zoo ” Tvedt credits his neighbor with piquing his interest in yaks “My neighbor is a bit of an animal trader and had yaks that he was passing along I was very curious about them and was drawn to get my own At the time my mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s so they were a good distraction ” Yak are related to cattle and originated in central Asia Domestic yaks differ from their wild counterparts through a smaller stature and a higher tolerance for low elevations In Tibet they’re used for meat milk transportation and even for their hair But at Pink Flamingo Yak Ranch the animals are used primarily for companionship and meat production Though his neighbor didn’t stick with yaks Tvedt has steadily grown his herd each year “They’re a really decent animal They like to be kept as pets; many individuals like attention and each has its own personality ” He believes they’re naturally good-tempered animals so long as they get human interaction early on “Some calves are curious and like to be petted ” Though uncommon in South Dakota Tvedt’s found yak surprisingly easy to raise They don’t eat much just 8 lbs of feed per day and have minimal protein requirements And since they aren’t heavy they don’t make big pot marks in muddy conditions as cattle do Copper deficiency can be a problem so Tvedt suggests seeking food sources containing some He’s had good luck with brome grass They also require minimal fencing and don’t attempt to jump over it Though Tvedt prefers the herd to calve in the spring bulls have year-round access to the herd and tend to work on their own timeframe That can pose a problem when insects swarm in the summer as too many flies can bring down a young calf Yaks take about 8 years to mature fully but most are butchered around 3 to 4 years old Tvedt sells primarily to a local restaurant which added yak burgers to its menu in 2022 Others are processed locally and customers contact Tvedt directly to arrange for orders Many compare yak meat to sweet beef or elk The meat tends to be very red with minimal fat content and it’s known for high levels of heart-healthy Omega 6 fatty acids For those interested in raising yak Tvedt suggests starting slow with a few animals at a time “Yak could work really well if you like farmer’s markets Just know that growing them is a slow process—you have to wait 3 years for them to get to size ” Readers can contact Dave by phone to discuss orders “If people want to come and visit the herd in person I’m open to that too ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Pink Flamingo Yak Ranch 21445 458th Ave Volga S D 57071 ph 605-695-6919; davetvedt@outlook com

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